Tradition
by Bella7
Summary: Just a fluffy Christmas fic. Hope you enjoy. R&R plz! I thrive on it!


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the song 'Where Are You Christmas?' by Faith Hill.

Author's note: This is fluff- but it's Christmas and what is Christmas without a little fluff? So, if you want angst and drama…look elsewhere cause you won't find it here!

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Tradition

By Bella

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Where are you Christmas?

Why can't I find you?

Why have you gone away?

Hermione walked slowly down the winding staircase into the empty Gryffindor common room. Everyone who was staying for Christmas holidays was else where. She looked around the room and smiled sadly. This was her last Christmas at Hogwarts and once again, she was alone. Running a hand along the tinsel and lights that decorated the hearth, Hermione realized with a sharp pain how much she would miss the school when she left in June. 

Hogwarts always went all out when it came to Christmas decorating, and the Common Room of her House was no exception. There were lights and garland and tinsel everywhere she looked. And in the corner, an absolutely enormous tree, decorated with ornaments that the students had made themselves. Hermione smiled at the sight of the decoration that she, Harry, and Ron had made together. It was a picture of the three of them from last summer at Ron's house. She was in between the two boys, looking surprised as they each planted a kiss on one of her cheeks: Harry on the left, and Ron on the right. This picture was framed and covered in sparkles, bewitched to blink lights every so often. The people in the picture were all smiles as the seventeen year old girl looked at them, winking and waving. As much as the picture made her smile, Hermione was also filled with great sadness, as she thought about what she would be leaving behind next year. 

Where is the laughter

You used to bring me?

Why can't I hear music play?

The last two years had been some of the most important of Hermione's life. She had been through hell trying to maintain a steady friendship with Ron and Harry, after she and Ron had their three week fling during sixth year. They had mutually broken up after they realized they cared about each other too much to be in a relationship. And while she had agreed to the break-up, she was oddly heart broken that it had happened long before Christmas. Harry had consoled her, of course, and that had made Ron angry. The fight between the three of them had continued through most of the first semester of sixth year. But thankfully, the Terrible Trio had made up in time to spend Christmas together, as was tradition.

Tradition. What an interesting concept. It seemed to play a big role in Hermione's life, especially around Christmas time. There were all sorts of traditions that Hogwarts went along with, along with the ones that she followed on a personal basis: sending her Christmas cards to family and friends, exchanging presents with Ron, Harry, and Hagrid, and lots of other things that she just did out of principle. But this was the last year for those traditions. At least, she thought so. Hermione didn't want to think that her friendships would end so easily just because the three of them weren't at the same school anymore, but one never knew. 

My world is changing

I'm rearranging

Does that mean Christmas changes too?

Hermione had been offered a job as a reporter for the _Daily Prophet_, Ron was going into the Ministry to work alongside his father and brother, and Harry was ridiculously close to being snatched up by scouts to play Quidditch professionally. The thought of not seeing 'her boys' for a long time depressed her, so she went back upstairs to her room.

Lavender and Parvati had gone home for holidays, but Ginny was still here. However, she was outside, having a snowball fight with the boys-another Christmas tradition. Hermione had been invited too, of course, but she'd declined the offer-insisting she had extra work to do. And in a way, reminiscing was work, she supposed, as she reached under the bed and pulled out her scrapbook. 

Where are you Christmas?

Do you remember

The one you used to know?

The first few pages were simple, introductory things, her Hogwarts acceptance letter, a picture of her at eleven, and a list of her favorite things. She laughed, looking through her first-year section. The things she'd saved: her first grade report, detention slip, cards from people at Hogwarts, and dozens and dozens of pictures of Harry and Ron. Second year held more of the same. Third year was more interesting, holding a picture from the newspaper of Sirius Black, a small journal entry about rescuing Black, and about the Time Turner. There was also a picture of Hagrid and Buckbeat, the hippogriff. Fourth year was centered around the Tri-Wizard Tournament: pictures of Harry against the Horntail, and a few group shots of the three of them from Three Broomsticks. Plus, Hermione's favorite-a picture of Rita Skeeter as a beetle inside her jar. 

The years that followed held all of the most important things from her past: cards and letters from her family, oodles of pictures, ticket stubs or scraps of parchment that held some kind of sentimental value to her. Hermione smiled and noticed a teardrop fall onto the page before her. This wasn't helping quite as much as she's hoped. It was time to go back downstairs. As she got up to leave, the young woman caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

I'm not the same one

See what the time's done

Is that why you have let me go?

The girl staring back at her was most definitely not the girl from the first page of her Hogwarts scrapbook. By looks alone, the difference was as vast as the ocean. Her hair, which was once a bushy, untamable mess, now hung past her shoulders in gentle waves. The teeth, once bucked and squirrel-like, were perfectly sized, straight, and white when she smiled. Her eyes-still the same cinnamon brown, seemed wider, giving her more expression. Long gone was the stick figure of a girl who had boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time. In her place was the tall, shapely woman Hermione had grown into, with long legs and perfectly lovely curves. 

It was more than just looks that made Hermione mature. She had grown up a great deal in the past few years, dealing with things that no teenage girl should have to deal with. She shuddered at the thought of what had happened after fourth year-when the Dark Lord had risen to power once again. The havoc he had reeked…Hermione shook her head. Christmas was supposed to be a happy time. With one more look at herself, the young woman headed back downstairs to see if her fellow Gryffindors had returned from outside. 

Christmas is here

Everywhere 

Christmas is here

If you care

She was partly right, Harry was just coming in from the cold as she reached the bottom step. 

"Hello, 'Mione. You missed a hell of a snowball fight." He greeted, taking off his cloak and hanging it by the door. She laughed, he was still covered in snow.

"I can see that. Come here, you're a mess." Harry shrugged, but allowed Hermione to brushed the snow out of his unruly black hair and off of his shoulders. "So, where are Ron and Ginny?" 

"Still outside. Seamus and Dean challenged them to another fight-I couldn't take it anymore, so I came in to see how you were." They sat down together in front of the fire.

"Ah, ever the gentleman." 

"So, why are you in here all by yourself, and on Christmas Eve, no less?"

"I don't know."

"Visited by the ghost of Christmas past?" Hermione smiled at his reference, and his amazing ability to read her thoughts.

"Something like that." 

"Wanna talk about it?" This brought another smile to her face. Harry was so considerate, and he understood her perfectly. Ron did too, but Harry just seemed to care more. Yes, Hermione decided, she would miss Harry most of all. 

If there is love

In your heart and your mind

You will feel like Christmas all the time

"There's nothing to talk about, really. Just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this place next year."

"Yeah, me too. This is really the only home I know." Harry confessed, looking into the fire. 

"What are you going to do once we graduate?" She asked, taking the risk of hitting a nerve with the question. 

"It depends, I guess. If the scouts want me to play Quidditch, then I suppose I'll be playing Quidditch. But if that doesn't pan out…I don't know, maybe I'll get a job at the _Daily Prophet _with you." He gave her a boyish grin, and she grinned back.

"I'd like that." 

"Me too." There was a slight pause. "So, you're really gonna miss it here, huh?"

"Like mad. Won't you?"

"I'll tell you what I'll miss."

"What's that?"

"I'll miss the House, and Hagrid. And all of our crazy, half cocked adventures trying to save…whatever it is." They laughed together, before he got quiet again and said, "I'll miss you, 'Mione."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You know how important you are to me. And Ron too, of course." A blush crept over his face as he admitted this. 

"Well, you're important to me too." The two of them smiled at one another, before the mood was broken by a shriek of laughter from outside. 

I feel you Christmas 

I know I found you

You'd never fade away

Hermione got up and looked out the frosty window, down to the grounds, "Looks like they're having fun out there."

"They seemed to be, when I left."

"Wanna go back out?"

"Are you kicking me out of this Common Room?" Harry asked, in mock offense. She laughed,

"No, silly goose. It looks like fun, and I want to go and have fun. It is Christmas Eve-after all." 

"Really? Well I'm so glad to hear that, Miss Granger. I would be honored to escort you out to the grounds to join in the festivities." She giggled and rolled her eyes. "Now move your ass upstairs and get your cloak, it's cold out!"

"What an invitation! No woman could resist such a charmer." Hermione said sarcastically, retreating once again to her room. 

When she came down, dressed in her cloak, hat, and mittens, Harry put on his own cloak and offered her his arm. "Shall we?" They headed toward the portrait hole, when Harry stopped abruptly, right by the door.

"What's wrong?" 

"Look up."

The joy of Christmas

Stays here inside us

Fills each and every heart

With love

Dangling above their heads was a small cluster of mistletoe. Hermione laughed, and blushed, "So what's your point, Potter?"

"I think you know what my point is, Granger." She blushed again.

"Harry…." 

"C'mon Hermione, it's tradition. And besides, it's just me." Harry reminded her, a hopeful expression on his face. Hermione felt herself melting under the gaze of those green eyes,

"Well, just because…it's Christmas. And it's tradition. And it's our last ye-" She was cut off by Harry's mouth covering hers. A bit surprised, Hermione decided, _what the hell_, and kissed him back. He tasted like peppermints. They parted a few moments later and smiled at one another. A perfect, Christmas kiss. 

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"Merry Christmas, Hermione Granger." He told her, touching her cheek. 

"Merry Christmas, Harry Potter." 

"Still up for that snowball fight?" Hermione laughed, and took his outstretched hand.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." They laughed together again and headed outside to join their friends.

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Where are you Christmas?

Fill your heart with love…


End file.
